An eighth of a penny won't get you very far on the bus, but Monterey-Salinas Transit is asking voters to approve a one-eighth-cent sales tax, which would generate an estimated $6 million in revenue.
The MST board voted Monday to place a ballot measure on the November ballot. If approved, the funds raised would be used for programs designated for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. A citizen oversight committee and annual audits of the funds would manage how the money is used.
The tax measure requires a two-thirds vote to pass on Nov. 4.
In March, the MST board approved $100,000 in funding to conduct public outreach and surveys, which showed decent odds of a tax passing.
The city of Salinas is also putting a 1-cent sales tax increase on the ballot, and Monterey and Del Rey Oaks are considering tax measures as well.
MST has been on the budget brink for years, facing cuts from the state, been caught in the crossfire of federal transportation budget wrangling, and most recently, hung up on a problem with how the bus drivers' union interprets Gov. Jerry Brown's signature pension reform plan.
MST relies on the federal government for nearly a third of its $30 million annual budget, and recently cut military routes as a response to budget cuts.